Module POL2119 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL2119: Transformations of Social and Political Realities through Smartphones
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
Smartphones are a cross-cutting issue that requires knowledge and input from a variety of literatures. This module will equip you with the latest knowledge on how smartphones transform our social and political realities. You will learn about how smartphones transform the ways different political actors mobilise and relate to their constituencies; how they embolden populism and polarisation; to which degree they limit your privacy; how they change the way we interact with one another, both as friends and as sex or love partners; how they affect self-esteem, and how they create addictive behaviour. A good understanding of these issues is critical for a smart usage of smartphones. We will look at these issues first by looking at some key theoretical concepts before we will apply those concepts to a range of case studies which you will be able to choose. You will also acquire key transferable skills through working in a group to prepare and moderate part of a class. With its applied focus, the module will also provide you with an opportunity to get involved in debates surrounding smartphones by means of creating a podcast.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Show an understanding of how smartphones transform our lives and societies 2. Critically reflect on the usage of your smartphone |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Deploy theoretical arguments and apply them to empirical case studies 4. Construct rigorous arguments |
| Personal and Key Skills | 5. Critically evaluate ideas, debates and practices 6. Work independently and in collaboration with peers 7. Sharpen communication and presentation skills |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 400 words | 1-7 | Written feedback |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 0 | 40 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 60 | 2,500 words | 1-7 | Written |
| Podcast in teams of 2 | 40 | 10 minutes | 1,5-7 | Written |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay, 2,500 | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Podcast | 5-minute individual Podcast | 1, 5, 7 | August/September reassessment period |
